Bearing for weeder rods



y 28, 1953 L. o. FUNDINGSLAND I 2,646,737

BEARING FOR WEEDER 'RODS- Original Filed June 10, 1949 INVENT'OR. L. 0. unolflgsla 77d wmwm Patented July 28, 1 953 Laurence O. Fundingslaml, Burlington, Colo.

Original application June t, 1949, Serial No. 98,317, now Patent No. 2,603,137, dated July 15,

1952, Serial No. 278,054

This invention relates to agricultural implements and more particularly to bearings for. rod weeder attachments for chisel plows,- the present application being a division of my application, Serial No. 98,317, filed June 10, 1949, now Patent No.'2,603,13'7, July 15, 1952, which in turn is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 46,694, filed August 28,- 1948, now Patent No. 2,528,270, October 31, 1950.

In the above identified application and patent I have disclosed a conventional chisel plow to one end of which is secured a power take 01f attachment, driven by one of the supporting wheels, suitable mechanism being provided to drive an elongawd weeder rod rotatably supported by the chisels. It has been found that under certain conditions of operation, in certain types of soil the weeder rod binds to some extent in its supporting bearings which creates unnecessary load and wear on the driving mechanism.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a weeder rod attachment for plows wherein the weeder rod bearings carried by the chisels are designed to eliminate binding of the weeder rod in its bearings when the chisels are deflected by striking obstructions or soil conditions which flexes the chisels to varying extent.

Still further objects, advantages and salient features will become more apparent from a consideration of the description to follow, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a rear elevation of a portion of the chisel plow, this figure being the same as Figure 1 of the identified copending application, of which this is a division.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section taken on line 22, Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 3-3, Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 44, Figure 2.

Referring in detail to the drawing wherein like reference numerals represent like parts, a conventional chisel plow is supported at its ends, by wheels, a wheel at one end has been shown and by reference designated character 23.

The frame supports a plurality of resilient pendents 25 which have chisels 26 at their ends adapted to move below the surface of the ground. A weeder rod 56 is journaled'on these pendents in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter, and is driven from wheel 23 through shaft 43, universal joint 4I, extensible shaft I42, universal joint 40, shaft 39, sprockets and. chains 45, 46,

2 Claims. (ohm-42) Divided and this application March 22,

shaft 54, and extensible propeller shaft 55, all as more fully described in my above identified copending application. The points of novelty over said application will now be described.

Pendents 25 each support a bracket 251, by a pair of bolts 66 which extend through suitable holes in each pendent and through an elongated slot I00 in end flange IOI on the forward end of each bracket. The rear end of each bracket is provided with a large circular hole I03 in which is disposed a spool 58, this spool has flanges at the ends of the hub ortion as clearly shown in Figure 3. A bearing plate 459 having a semicircular wearing surface 459a abuts the hub portion of v the spool 58 between said flanges; this plate is adjustably secured to bracket 25! by bolts I04 which pass through enlarged or elongated openings I05 in bracket 251. Enlarged or elongated openings may also be employed in bearing plate 459, if desired, or in both the bearing plate and bracket. When the bearing plate is in the desired position of adjustment there is a space I06 between the spool 58 and bracket 459 which performs an important function which will now be described.

When frame 20 is moving over the ground the weeder rod is rotating below the ground surface, as shown in Figure l. The pendents 25 are resilient hence when one or more of the chisels strikes an obstruction, or ground which oifers uneven resistance to the chisels, one or more of the pendents bend rearwardly. If the spools were journaled to move with the pendents as they bend rearwardly it will be apparent that the weeder rod would cause one or more of the spools to bind. This is obviated by the construction that forms the subject of the present invention since bracket 25'! and bearing plate 459 are free to move rearwardly when the pendent bends rearwardly, the spool remaining in the same position relative to frame 3 I. In other words, the bearing plate 459 temporarily disengages the spool, a forward. and lower portion of plate 25'I adja-cent opening I03 moving into space I06. Space I06 may be enlarged as desired, depending upon the particular soil and amount of spring of the pendents. Slot I06a is wider than the diameter of the spool hub but narrower than the diameter of the spool flange, which permits the slot to move over and receive the spool hub but prevents the spool from moving endwise on the weeder rod.

When the obstruction has been passed bearing plate 450 return into engagement with the rearward and upper portion of the spool, as shown in Figure 2.

Many modifications of the invention will now become apparent within the spirit thereof. For example, the weeder rod brackets 25? may be so constructed that the weeder rod is in any desired position relative to the chisels and other means will become apparent which permit distortion of the pendents without distorting the weeder rod. It is not intended, therefore, to limit the invention to the precise details illustrated, except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

Particular attention is called to the fact that opening I63 must be large enough to perm-it at least one flange 58 to pass through and when the bearing plate is in position the spool cannotniovealong the rod to any appreciable extent. Small flexures of the pendents can occur while the hub is still within the area of opening I03. If the pendent is bent to a greater extent as it may be if it strikes a stone the hub of the spool moves into that part of the opening designated by 106a.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a rod weeder of the type having a wheel supported frame and provided at its rear with 2 a plurality of resilient spaced plow pendents, a weeder rod bearing secured to the rear of each pendent, said bearing comprising a bracket plate 4 having means at its front end for efiecting connection with the rear of a plow pendent, said plate having a keyhole shaped opening near its rear end, the circular portion of said opening being at the rear, the lateral notch extending downwardly and forwardly, a spool positioned in the opening, the spool having a tubular hub portion with end flanges of greater diameter, the circular opening being of sufiicient size to permit the spool flanges to pass, the notch having a width suffi .cient to receive the hub of the spool but less than the diameter of the end flanges, a bearing block positioned lathe circular part of the opening to the rear of thespool, and means for attaching the bearing block to the bracket.

.2. A hearing in accordance with claim 1 in which the bearing block is attached to the bracket by means that permits it to be adjusted to compensate for wear.

LAURENCE O. FUNDINGSLAND.

References Cited in the file ofv this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,804,672 Calkins May 12, 1931 1 ,831,119 Jahn Nov, 10, 1931 1,902,897 Robinson Mar. 28, 19.33 

